The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Summit SuperSeries, the largest and most prestigious bracket racing program in drag racing, will return for a 17th straight year in 2018.

The $200,000 program is the World Championship for over 8,000 IHRA member-track racers each season. Summit Racing Equipment, the official mail order company of IHRA, sponsors this program for thousands of grassroots racers at nearly 100 IHRA-sanctioned member tracks.

Participating tracks will crown Summit SuperSeries track champions in Top (Box), Mod (No Box) and Junior divisions. Those champions, along with qualified Summit Team Finals champions from each IHRA region, are invited to compete in the IHRA Summit World Finals in Memphis, Tenn., on Oct. 18-20, 2018.

The championship prize package for the Top and Mod Division World Champions is $20,000 to win, an IHRA Gold Card, a World Championship Ironman Trophy, a World Championship diamond ring and a seven-night/eight-day vacation for two to Aruba.

The rest of the points fund is as follows: $7,000 to the runner-up, sixth-round $2,000, fifth-round $1,000, fourth-round $700, third-round $600, second-round $400 and first-round $300.

The Junior Dragster payout last season included a brand-new, turn-key JR Race Car junior dragster featuring a custom paint scheme by Jerron Settles of Imagine That Customs, plus $3,000 to win. The rest of the point funds is $2,000 for runner-up, sixth-round $1,000, fifth round $800, fourth-round $500, third-round $400, second-round $350 and first-round $300.

Tom Gall (Top; Thunder Valley Dragways), Chris Black (Mod; Quaker City Motorsports Park) and Luke Schwemier (Junior; Grand Bend Motorplex) were 2017 IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Champions.

“The Summit World Finals is the only true no entry-fee race for $20,000 that exists in our sport.  It is an incredible accomplishment just to qualify,” IHRA Vice President Skooter Peaco said. “The Summit SuperSeries World Champions can really say they have beaten the best racers in the sport. There is nothing better than head-to-head competition to determine the Summit World Championship.”

To get in on the action, competitors simply sign up for their IHRA Member Track points program while becoming a member of IHRA or simply renewing their IHRA membership.  Competitors are then issued an “X” number (the second digit of the Summit SuperSeries registered numbers is an X) and that number must appear on your car during your track’s points earning events as well as on your track’s points listing on their website.  For a listing of IHRA member tracks click here.

A full series flyer and complete rules on the Summit SuperSeries can be found here. To register for the program, simply contact the IHRA membership department at 561-337-3015 to renew an existing membership or visit the online IHRA Membership page to download the membership license & number application for new members.

“The Sportsman racer, at every level, has been and will continue to be one of the most important components of the Summit Racing Equipment family,” Summit Motorsports and Events Manager Jim Greenleaf said. “We are proud to support the men, women and kids who gather at their local IHRA tracks to participate in the Summit SuperSeries.  It is a great feeling for us to see champions from all over North America show up at Memphis for the Summit World Finals to race head-to head for an IHRA World Championship.”

“It takes the entire family of racers, member tracks, and support staff working together with Summit Racing Equipment to move the Sportsman racing component of IHRA Drag Racing to the incredible level of support and enthusiasm we have today. We are proud to continue our efforts in this successful program,” Peaco added.